Potter Park Zoo Announces Birth of Tiger Cubs

Date:

October 19th, 2011

Potter Park Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of three Amur tiger cubs.

“This birth was recommended by the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP),” explains Dr. Tara Harris, coordinator of the Amur Tiger SSP and Director of Conservation at Minnesota Zoo. “We’re thrilled that Potter Park Zoo’s tigers proved to be a successful breeding pair and are helping to strengthen a sustainable population of Amur tigers worldwide.”

The tigers were born early in the morning on September 13, 2011. Two days after their birth, tests run by the veterinary staff at Potter Park Zoo and Michigan State University revealed pneumonia in the cubs. They were then taken from their mother and treated with antibiotics, and are now being hand-fed and raised by Potter Park Zoo’s animal care staff. Their health has improved drastically.

“We’re delighted about the successful birth of these tigers,” says Dr. Tara Harrison, veterinarian at Potter Park Zoo. “This marks the third set of Amur tiger cubs born at Potter Park Zoo in the past 20 years. We are proud to play an active role in the conservation of this species.”

The three cubs are all girls, and have been named Savelii, Kira and Ameliya. The recent births bring Potter Park Zoo’s tiger population to five. The cubs’ mother, Nikka, arrived in Lansing in 2009 from Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Sivaki, their father, was born at Potter Park Zoo in 2005. The cubs will be on exhibit inside the Feline Primate House in early December. Until then, the public can watch their activity on a live webcam which is available on the zoo’s website, www.potterparkzoo.org

Potter Park Zoo would like to thank Vertex Computer, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless for providing technical support in monitoring Nikka’s pregnancy and the birth of the cubs.

Potter Park Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of three Amur tiger cubs.

“This birth was recommended by the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP),” explains Dr. Tara Harris, coordinator of the Amur Tiger SSP and Director of Conservation at Minnesota Zoo. “We’re thrilled that Potter Park Zoo’s tigers proved to be a successful breeding pair and are helping to strengthen a sustainable population of Amur tigers worldwide.”

The tigers were born early in the morning on September 13, 2011. Two days after their birth, tests run by the veterinary staff at Potter Park Zoo and Michigan State University revealed pneumonia in the cubs. They were then taken from their mother and treated with antibiotics, and are now being hand-fed and raised by Potter Park Zoo’s animal care staff. Their health has improved drastically.

“We’re delighted about the successful birth of these tigers,” says Dr. Tara Harrison, veterinarian at Potter Park Zoo. “This marks the third set of Amur tiger cubs born at Potter Park Zoo in the past 20 years. We are proud to play an active role in the conservation of this species.”

The three cubs are all girls, and have been named Savelii, Kira and Ameliya. The recent births bring Potter Park Zoo’s tiger population to five. The cubs’ mother, Nikka, arrived in Lansing in 2009 from Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Sivaki, their father, was born at Potter Park Zoo in 2005. The cubs will be on exhibit inside the Feline Primate House in early December. Until then, the public can watch their activity on a live webcam which is available on the zoo’s website.

Potter Park Zoo would like to thank Vertex Computer, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless for providing technical support in monitoring Nikka’s pregnancy and the birth of the cubs.

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